Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal
Lakshmi Narayan Dev (Swaminarayan Sampradaya) temple · Vadtal, Kheda, Gujarat, India
The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Vadtal, known to followers as Vadtal Dham, is a temple of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya in Nadiad taluka of Kheda district, Gujarat. Its central shrine holds Lakshmi Narayan Dev. Swaminarayan himself installed the images on 3 November 1824.
Vadtal is one of the most important centres of the original Swaminarayan Sampradaya. It is the headquarters of the Lakshmi Narayan Dev Gadi, the southern of the two dioceses Swaminarayan set up, the other being the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi at Ahmedabad. The temple marked its 200th anniversary in November 2024.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal
Swaminarayan (1781–1830), also known as Sahajanand Swami, is worshipped by his followers as the supreme manifestation of God, and Vadtal is closely tied to his own life. The temple trust shows visitors the Hari Mandap, the rooms on the south-west side of the temple where he stayed. Akshar Bhuvan, to the south, displays objects associated with him, including a chariot and a twelve-door swing. Tradition also says that Swaminarayan carried earth on his head to help dig Gomti lake near the temple, and devotees treat its water as sacred.
It was at Vadtal in 1826, on Prabodhini Ekadashi of Vikram Samvat 1882, that Swaminarayan set up a two-part line of hereditary acharyas. He installed his adopted sons Ayodhyaprasad and Raghuvir as the heads of the Ahmedabad and Vadtal dioceses. The Vadtal line has continued ever since, and the present head is Acharya Rakeshprasadji Maharaj. A marble chhatri behind the temple marks that event.
Heritage
History of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal
According to the temple trust, Swaminarayan ordered the temple built and the work was supervised by his ascetic poet-disciple Brahmanand Swami. The trust says it was finished in about fifteen months. The Kheda district administration, giving the dates in the Vikram Samvat calendar, says work began in Chaitra VS 1878 and finished in Kartik VS 1881. It adds that sadhus and lay devotees did the labour themselves, carrying bricks and lime, and that about nine lakh bricks went into the foundations. Tradition holds that Swaminarayan carried bricks himself.
The images were consecrated on 3 November 1824. Lakshmi Narayan Dev occupies the central shrine. The right-hand shrine holds Radha Krishna with Harikrishna Maharaj, and the left-hand shrine holds Vasudev, Dharmapita and Bhaktimata, the parents of Swaminarayan in sectarian tradition.
The temple's bicentenary was marked on 11 November 2024. The Prime Minister addressed the gathering by video, and the Government of India issued a ₹200 commemorative silver coin and a postal stamp for the occasion.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple trust notes that the walls of the temple are painted with scenes from the Ramayana. Hari Mandap stands within the central part of the complex, and Akshar Bhuvan, a separate building on the south side, houses relics linked with Swaminarayan. The campus also has the memorial chhatri for the 1826 acharya installation and, nearby, the sacred Gomti lake.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
Vadtal is a busy working temple with several aartis a day, and the temple trust publishes daily darshan updates. Timings, dress expectations and any separate arrangements for men and women can change, so confirm current arrangements with Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal (vadtalmandir.org) before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal (Lakshmi Narayan Dev Gadi) (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal
Kartik anniversary of the murti pratishtha
Swaminarayan installed the temple's images in Kartik VS 1881 (3 November 1824). The bicentenary of the consecration was celebrated in November 2024.
Prabodhini Ekadashi
On this day in 1826 Swaminarayan established the hereditary acharya seats of Vadtal and Ahmedabad at Vadtal, so the date has a special place in the history of the Vadtal diocese.
Location
How to Reach Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal
According to the Kheda district administration, the temple is about 12 km from Anand railway station and 15 km from Nadiad railway station, both on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad main line. The nearest airports are Vadodara and Ahmedabad (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport). Government and private buses run to Vadtal from Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Anand.
Location: Vadtal, Kheda, Gujarat, India
Nearest airport: Vadodara; Ahmedabad
Nearest railway station: Anand (about 12 km); Nadiad (about 15 km)
More in Hindu temples in Gujarat · Lakshmi Narayan Dev (Swaminarayan Sampradaya) temples
Questions
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal: Frequently Asked Questions
Who built the Swaminarayan temple at Vadtal?
Swaminarayan ordered it, and his disciple Brahmanand Swami supervised its construction. Swaminarayan installed the images himself on 3 November 1824.
Which deity is in the main shrine at Vadtal?
Lakshmi Narayan Dev. The side shrines hold Radha Krishna with Harikrishna Maharaj, and Vasudev with Dharmapita and Bhaktimata.
What is the Vadtal Gadi?
It is the Lakshmi Narayan Dev Gadi, one of the two dioceses of the original Swaminarayan Sampradaya, with its headquarters at Vadtal. The other is the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi at Ahmedabad.
What is Hari Mandap at Vadtal?
It is the place on the south-west side of the temple where Swaminarayan stayed when he was at Vadtal. Devotees visit it as a sacred spot.
Which is the nearest railway station to Vadtal temple?
Anand station is about 12 km away and Nadiad about 15 km, according to the Kheda district administration.
When was the 200th anniversary of Vadtal temple?
The bicentenary was celebrated in November 2024. The Government of India issued a ₹200 silver coin and a postal stamp to mark it.
Sources and attribution
- © OpenStreetMap contributors — location data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Wikidata Q7503911 — structured data (CC0)
- Wikipedia — Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal — text facts from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal — About – Swaminarayan Sect, Holy Place, Vadtal Dham, Aacharya Tradition
- Kheda District Administration (Government of Gujarat) — Tirthrajshree Swaminarayan Temple, Vadtal
- Prime Minister's Office, Government of India — PM participates in 200th year celebrations of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Vadtal, Gujarat (11 Nov 2024)
- Kheda District Administration (Government of Gujarat) — How to Reach
Further reading: Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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